[Extended family, immediate family and caregiver contacts of 100-year-old patients in Hungary].

Abstract

In the year 1987, 218 centenarians lived in Hungary. First the main demographic data were reported by the surveyors of the Central Statistics Office. The basis of the experience was gained on a limited population (123 subjects). The physicians' team was organized by the Gerontology Center of the Semmelweis University of Medicine. They carried out the detailed medical and environmental check-up. The medical and environmental experiences of the gerontologists were published (1). In our present paper we would like to show the different familial and other relationships of the oldest people. The 123 centenarians were scattered over the whole country, altogether in 67 larger or smaller settlements. More of them lived with a daughter (42%), with a son (14%), with a grandchild (7%), with other relatives (5%) and 3 persons lived together with their wives. We found that the subjects who lived with relatives had a better chance to live an active and meaningful life. The co-existence of several generations, the multilateral contacts of centenarians have a beneficial effect on the quality of life.